WhatsApp’s Chief Business Officer Neeraj Arora quits after seven years

Arora was with WhatsApp since 2011 -- well before the mobile messaging service’s $19 billion acquisition by Facebook.

techUpdated: Nov 27, 2018 11:33 IST

Indo Asian News Service

San Francisco

Neeraj Arora worked with Google before joining WhatsApp.(WhatsApp)

In yet another high-profile exit at WhatsApp, its Indian-origin Chief Business Officer Neeraj Arora has quit, saying he needs “time off to recharge and spend time with family”.

Arora has been with WhatsApp since 2011 -- well before the mobile messaging service’s $19 billion acquisition by Facebook. An alumnus of the Indian School of Business (ISB), Arora played a key role in closing the acquisition of WhatsApp. He worked with Google before joining WhatsApp.

“It is hard to believe that it has been seven years since Jan (Koum) and Brian (Acton) got me onboard at WhatsApp, and it has been one hell of a ride,” Arora said in a post on Tuesday.

“I am deeply indebted to Jan and Brian, who entrusted me to be their business companion for so many years,” he added.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said, “WhatsApp is grateful for the dedication, focus, and outstanding work of our early leaders and team. We remain deeply committed to providing a way for people to communicate privately now and in the future.”

In a jolt to Facebook in May, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum decided to move on amid reports that he had a difference of opinion with parent company Facebook over data privacy, encryption and other issues.

Arora was rumoured to be the frontrunner to replace Koum as CEO. Another WhatsAppAco-founder Brian Acton made his highly-publicised exit from Facebook in 2017.

“It’s time to move on, but I can not be more proud of how WhatsApp continues to touch people in so many different ways every day. I am confident that WhatsApp will continue to be the simple, secure and trusted communication product for years to come,” Arora added. ALSO READ: WhatsApp appoints Ezetap co-founder Abhijit Bose as India head